Publications by authors named "Mohammad Ikbal Choudhury"
Article Synopsis
- Metastasis is rare at the cellular level, with only about 1 in 1.5 billion cancer cells capable of successfully completing the metastatic process.
- Cells exhibiting a Polyaneuploid Cancer Cell (PACC) phenotype, characterized by enlargement and increased genomic content, have shown increased movement and adaptability in response to stress, which may enhance their metastasis competence.
- Various techniques demonstrate that PACC cells possess hyper-elastic properties and express vimentin, suggesting they are better equipped for successful invasion and migration, warranting further investigation.
Article Synopsis
- The mechanical environment of tissue stem cell niches, specifically the extracellular matrix (ECM), is crucial for regulating muscle stem cells (MuSCs).
- When muscle injuries occur, MuSCs lose their mechanical compression from the surrounding myofibers, prompting them to re-enter the cell cycle to aid in regeneration.
- Research reveals that applying physical compression to MuSCs can revert activated cells back to a quiescent state, highlighting the significance of apical compression in maintaining stem cell properties and influencing gene regulation, particularly involving Notch signaling.
Article Synopsis
- Cells typically move through channel-like tracks, and while existing devices mimic these structures, they have limitations like being too stiff and impermeable.
- Researchers developed new polyacrylamide-based microchannels that have the right stiffness and dimensions for effectively studying cell movement at a high throughput.
- Their findings indicate that migration speed is influenced by both channel confinement and stiffness, with different stiffness levels affecting how cells move in confined versus unconfined spaces.
Trans-epithelial fluid flow and mechanics of epithelial morphogenesis.
Semin Cell Dev Biol
November 2022
Article Synopsis
- Active fluid transport across epithelial layers plays a crucial role in tissue development and health, utilizing ion gradients to drive fluid flow and generate pressure.
- The osmotic engine model explains how this process contributes to cell migration and how epithelial cells, like those in the kidney, act as mechanical fluid pumps affected by hydraulic pressure differences.
- The study emphasizes the significance of trans-epithelial fluid flux and hydraulic pressure in tissue morphogenesis, while also discussing the consequences of impaired fluid pumping and pressure sensing on organ function, likening cellular pumps to a city’s water system for efficient operation.
Article Synopsis
- Aging significantly impacts microvascular function and disease, but the mechanisms behind this are still not fully understood.
- Researchers are exploring how changes in collagen stiffness with age affect the behavior of endothelial cells (ECs) using innovative 3D culture models that replicate these age-related changes.
- A special hydrogel model allows scientists to gradually stiffen the environment of vascular networks derived from stem cells, revealing that increased stiffness leads to EC contractility changes and disruption of critical cell adhesion proteins, which can potentially be mitigated by inhibiting cell contractility.
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates how mechanical forces influence kidney cell fluid transport and morphology, highlighting their unclear role in kidney diseases.
- This research uses a microfluidic platform to demonstrate that kidney epithelial cells can generate hydraulic pressure gradients, affecting fluid movement and pressure distribution.
- Findings indicate that normal kidney cells show a fluid flow from top to bottom with higher pressure at the bottom, while cells affected by Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease exhibit a reversed flow pattern, revealing the significance of hydraulic pressure in kidney function and disease.
Article Synopsis
- A new microscale pressure measurement technique uses the curvature changes of an immiscible fluid interface to accurately gauge hydraulic pressure in fluids at scales of 10 microns.
- This method is particularly effective for measuring fluid pressure in micro-scale biological samples, providing insights into the fluid dynamics in various biological structures.
- Findings indicate that the pressure across epithelial barriers ranges from 100 to 300 Pa and is influenced by the activity of ion channels.
Article Synopsis
- Aneuploidy refers to having an incorrect number of chromosomes and is linked to conditions like cancer and birth defects.
- Researchers found that this chromosome imbalance in budding yeast leads to a common gene-expression signature associated with hypo-osmotic stress, indicating cellular distress.
- The study revealed that aneuploid cells, both in yeast and humans, experience increased membrane stress affecting nutrient uptake, emphasizing a vital link between aneuploidy, nutrient balance, and cellular health.